Aqaba to be promoted as alternative destination for Russian tourists

AMMAN — Jordan is reaching out to the Russian market to promote Aqaba as an alternative tourist destination after Moscow halted flights to Egypt, where Sharm El Sheikh was a popular vacationing spot for Russians.

Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Managing Director Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat on Thursday said “intensified contacts” are being made with Russian and British tour operators to promote trips to Aqaba, expecting “positive” results to be announced soon.

Russia stopped its flights to Egypt after a plane recently crashed over the Sinai desert. 

The aircraft, carrying 224 people on board, came apart in midair after taking off from the resort of Sharm El Sheikh, leaving no survivors, Agence France-Presse reported.

Tens of thousands of foreign tourists were stranded after flights were cancelled over security fears, according to AFP, which said over 25,000 Russian tourists, had returned home on more than 100 flights.

Aqaba, some 330km south of Amman, has a similar climate to Sharm El Sheikh.

Arabiyat said the Russian market is “important” for Jordan, and the government supports increasing allocations for tourist site promotion in the Russian market, due to its importance, according to a JTB statement.

He added that the JTB called on Royal Wings to offer competitive prices for the Russian market to encourage tourists to visit Jordan, and the airline agreed.

He expressed the JTB’s confidence that tourism offices and hotels will provide “encouraging” prices to Russian tour operators.